Mold for casting rail-bond terminals.



BOND TERMINALS.

12, 1907. 901 ,227, Patented 0011.13,]908.

V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. CLEVELAND, or CLEVELAND, oIIIo, ASSIGNOR To THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY IMPROVEMENT COMBANY OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CoRPoRATIoN OF OHIO.

MOLDiFOR CASTING RAIL-BOND TERMINALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed July 12, 1907. Serial No. 383,382.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. CLEVE- LAND, citizen of the United States,'resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Molds for Casting Rail-Bond Terminals, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My present invention relates to improved apparatus for use in connection with the process of uniting two metals, especially copper rail-bonds. to steel rails, described and claimed in United States Letters Patent N 0. 750,511, issued to William H. Wherry, J anuary 26, 1904.

The object of the present invention is the provision of means, in connection with the mold that forms an element of such apparatus, whereby the rail-bond terminal may be more readily trimmed of superfluous metal than'has been the case in the process as heretofore practiced.

To the accomplishment of this and related objects said invention consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting-, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing: Figure 1 represents, in broken perspective, a portion of a rail and one form of mold embodying my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of such rail and mold; Fig. 3 is a'transverse horizontal section of the latter by itself, taken on the line 3-3,

Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a' perspective view of the mold apart from the rail and as seen from the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. I

The process, in connection with which the improved apparatus here described, is intended to be utilized, consists in fitting over the cold metal, where it is desired to cast the molten metal, a mold having a recess for forming the terminal to be cast, with which recess communicate suitable sprues for allowing molten metal to enter and escape from such recess. This molten metal is preferably allowed to run through the mold until the cold metal becomes heated, softer, and more porous, whereby an intimate and permanent union is obtained between the two metals, when the desired quantity of molten metal is retained upon the cold metal and allowed to cool. As such process has heretofore been generally practiced the molten metal employed in preliminarily heating the 0001 parts to be joinedhas been simply allowed to escape from the mold, thereafter to be collected as most convenient in order to be reheated and used again. In order to obviate the waste of material incidental to such method, it has recently been found desirable to provide a reservoir for the reception of the metal thus escaping, such reservoir being preferably a recess in the same mold part as the recesses above referred to for the reception of the bond and the molding of the terminal, respectively. By the employment of this reservoir-recess, moreover, it becomes possible to accurately gage the amount of metal allowed thus to pass through the mold, so as to limit such metal to substantially the exact amount required for the purpose in hand, such amount being readily calculable in any particular instance, inasmuch as it depends upon the physical characteristics of the metals which it isdesired to unite. This feature of the reservoir, however, forms in itself no part of the present invention, although the form of mold illustrated discloses the same; neither is it intended by thus showing my invention in conjunction with such reservoir to imply that the latter is essential to the use of the former. The difliculty which I am here seeking to overcome is that which has been incidental to the trimming of the bond terminal after the removal of the mold part from the rail. WVhere a reservoir is employed, the corresponding end of the terminal will obviously be connected with the mass made up of the excess of metal after it.

has-cooled and solidified; similarly, where the metalis allowed merely to escape, such escape requires to be finally stopped as by plugging the outlet opening, as a result of which an irregular formation is given such end of the terminal. Such excrescence in either event requires to be severed and removed in order to avoid waste of material and to give the terminal a finished appearance. Furthermore, there is usually a small amount of metal extending into the ingress sprue that also requires to be trimmed off. This operation of trimming, when performed by means of a cold chisel, or equivalent tool, is quite obviously a laborious and time-wasteful task, and increases very materially the cost of bonding rails by the process involved. Moreover, in some forms of construction, as for example in the ease of third rails supported on more or less fragile insulators, the hammer-blows incidental to the use of a cold chisel are apt to inflict actual damage. It is to overcome this difficulty, or in other words to facilitate such trimming of the molded bond terminal, that the present apparatus has been devised. Such apparatus, then, having reference to the several figures of the drawing, comprises a mold part A constructed of suitable refractory material and of the same general form as that employed heretofore except that it is provided on its inner face with an overhanging portion (1 adapted to rest upon the edge of the tread or like surface of the rail. In such mold part is provided a recess 0; adapted for the reception of the conductor B. lVhether the latter be simply a wire, or a laminated bond, makes no difference, the form of the recess being varied to suit. Adjacent to such recess a is a second larger recess a for forming the bond terminal. Connected with the latter recess a, is an ingress sprue a and egress sprue (4 whereby the molten metal may be caused to pass into and through such recess 0, in the manner described above. Connected with such egress sprue is furthermore provided an additional recess a", constituting a reservoir for the reception of such metal as passes through recess a, as has been above described.

Intersecting sprues a and a respectively, at points contiguous to the corresponding edges of terminal-forming recess a are apertures a a, adapted to receive and support movable members at a a The latter are preferably simply flat bars of metal, such as steel, the forward ends of which may be slightly sharpened as shown. In their normal positions, these bars lie with their for ward edges wholly within the corresponding apertures, and such forward edges are shielded by a paste of plumbago, or equivalent material, with which the inner end of the aperture is puttied shut pending the pouring of the metal into the mold. here the mold part A is designed to be used but once and then discarded these apertures would terminate just a little short of the correspol'iding sprues,in other words a portion of the mold-material could be left to occupy the place that would otherwise have to be closed up in the manner above described.

The method of using the foregoing apparatus has already been in part indicated. The mold part, prepared in the manner described, is clamped securely against the rail or otherwise supported in the same manner as before. Thereupon the molten metal is poured into the ingress sprue a and allowed to tlow through recess a escaping thence by egress sprue a, either to the open, or into reservoir 64*, as the case may be. Vhen the reservoir becomes full, or, where no reservoir is employed, when a sufiicient amount to heat the parts to be joined has thus passed through the recess a and the egress sprue then stopped up, the recess is allowed to fill and immediately thereupon by giving a slight tap to the outer projecting ends of metal bars cf (4 the latter are projected into the respective sprues, the intervening mold walls whether a portion of the original material, or material subsequently applied, being knocked aside. By the interposition of such movable members, or bars, the molten metal remaining in ingress sprue a as also the mass of metal in reservoir (0 are severed from the mass of metal in recess a, constituting the bond terminal, as will be obvious. Upon the removal thereupon of the mold part from the rail the bond terminal is left with its edges trimmed and in practically complete, or final form, requiring no further attention.

It might be stated in conclusion that in practice, where the bond employed is not very thick, it is possible that the bars (17 (1 may not come into actual contact with the molten metal at all. For if the intervening portion of the mold wall be thick enough its interposition will effect the desired result.

It has already been indicated that by rail-bond, as herein used, 1 mean any type of detached electrical conductor employed in connecting the abutting ends of rails, or like, more extended, conductors. It should further be stated that the term rail as employed alike in the specification and claims is intended to connote not merely the ordinary tread rail of a railway, but also the various forms of third-rail construction, or, in short, any one of the various types of discontinuous conductors that require to be bonded together in order to form an unbroken electrical circuit.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be en'iployed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any one of the egress sprue to sever the metal in such recess cent thereto for forming the bond terminal,

following claims or the equivalent of such 1 stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adj acent to such first recess for forming the bond terminal; and means movable in said mold part adapted to trim such terminal.

2. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adj acent to such first recess for forming the bond terminal; and movable means adapted to intersect such second recess to trim such terminal.

3. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, said mold part being further provided with a sprue communicating with such last named recess; and a member movable in said mold part and adapted to be interposed between such sprue and recess.

4. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, said mold part being further provided with ingress and egress sprues communicating with such last named recess; and movable members mounted in said mold part and adapted to be interposed between such recess and the respective sprues.

5. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, said mold part being further provided with ingress and egress sprues communicating With such last named recess; a reservoir connected with the egress sprue of said mold part; and a member movable in said mold part and adapted to be interposed in such from that in said reservoir.

6. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adj asaid mold part being further provided with ingress and egress sprues communicating with such last named recess; a reservoir connected with the egress sprue of said mold part; and two members movable in said mold part and adapted to be interposed in such sprues respectively to sever the metal at those points.

7. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, said mold part being provided with a sprue communicating with such last named recess and a member movable in said mold part and adapted to be interposed between such sprue and recess, the forward end of said. member being normally protected by refractory material.

8. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part provided with a recess for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, said mold part being further provided with ingress and egress sprues communicating with such last named recess, and with apertures intersecting such sprues respectively; and cutting members normally lying in said apertures and adapted to be projected therefrom into such sprues, the forward ends of said members beingnormally protected by refractory material closing such apertures.

9. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part adapted to fit against the part of the rail to be bonded, said mold part being provided with three communicating recesses in its contacting face, one for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond, a second adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, and a third connected to receive any excess of metal escaping from such second recess, said mold part being further provided with a sprue communicating with such second recess; and members movable in said mold part and adapted to be interposed between such second recess and such third recess, and between such second recess and sprue, respectively.

10. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part adapted to fit against the part of the rail to be bonded, said mold part being provided with a recess in its contacting face for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, said mold part being further provided with an overhanging portion adapted to rest upon the tread or like surface of the rail.

- 11. Means for casting rail-bond terminals, comprising a mold part adapted to fit against the part of the rail to be bonded, said mold part being provided with a recess in its contacting face for receiving the end of the conductor forming the bond and a second recess adjacent thereto for forming the bond terminal, said mold part being furface of the mold part being formed with an overhanging portion :uiupted to rest upon the trend or like surface of the 1.;Hi.- 1O

Signed by me this 9th day of July, 1907.

WILLIAM B. (LEWIGLANIl Attested by MARY ISRAEL, JNo. F. OIHGRIJN. 

